Bhutan

Shrouded in the mist, peeping out, engulfing everything in its way, The kingdom that reminds you of the past with heads bowed and eyes glistening with admiration. The air getting rarer and the experiences getting denser, Bhutan is not a country. Bhutan is a connect.

Shrouded in the mist, peeping out, engulfing everything in its way. Bhutan. The kingdom that reminds you of the past with heads bowed and eyes glistening with admiration. Bhutan. The air getting rarer and the experiences getting denser. Bells clang and magic radiates from every vibration in the air. You can feel it move around you, embrace you. The all-powerful being.
The Mountains call at you. They grab you by your collar and pull you right in. Bhutan understands the language of your soul. It speaks directly to the very essence of you are. The vibe will make you feel like you are home. Here, you can get away and still be in your element all at once.
Bhutan is not a country. Bhutan is a connect. MLMT welcomes you to make this fascinated connection.

When to visit?

Spring is the season of Bhutan. The best months for all nature lovers with an affinity towards the fauna will want to visit during April and May. There are festivals like Gomkora at this time. Even the fall months of September, October and November are big crowd pleasers as they have the Black-Necked Crane Festival during this time. This weather transports the mountains into a shade of gold as the fields become ready for rice harvesting. An excellent time to visit.

Average Cost per Person

The times of the festivals during October and April will cause the biggest of traffic. Hence, to go during this time book as early as possible. The travel option to go to Bhutan also decides a lot of the cost. The bus fees and such in Bhutan are relatively cheap. There are a lot of provisions for people to stay at lower prices too. An average trip of about 6 days and 5 nights would cost you close to 30,000 to 35,000 rupees.

Visa Requirements

The Visa Requirements of Bhutan are different for a lot of different countries. A lot of them have specifics according to the area and the embassy. Indians do not need to have a Visa to get into Bhutan. But they do have to carry a Passport with at least 6 months validity or a Permanent Voters ID. Bhutan and India travel relations are right, and this promotes a feeling of mutual exchange between both countries.

Where to stay?

Thimphu:

This is one of the most intriguing places you will visit. The capital of Bhutan manages to capture the perfect essence of Shangri La and blends it casually with the rush hour and modern life that has now begun to escalate here. You will see two hugely contrasting scenes here. You will see tourists clad in cameras and sim card selling shops. You will see monks and government officials carrying a very traditional attire and Buddhist shops everywhere.
This is where you will find a little respite and connect from the magic of the past in Bhutan. Thimphu has a range of night bars and exquisite restaurants too.
Best Places to stay in Thimphu
• Hotel Druk
• Wangchuk Hotel
• Thimphu Tower
• Hotel Kisa
• Bhutan Suites

Paro:

 

On the banks of Pa Chhu lies a small piece of heaven. This town, Paro, is just a little bit to the north-west of Paro Dzong. The street here was built very recently in 1985 and as a whole is a cute, small town. It is the best town to explore to experience Bhutan in the microscopic views. Talking to people here will be an eye-opening feel.
This can be explored best by foot in about 2 to 3 hours and is lined with shops and tiny, household restaurants.
Best Places to stay in Paro
• Rema Resort
• Hotel Olathang
• Udumwara Resort
• Sonam Trophel Inn
• Hotel Dorjee Ling

Jakar:

The space of Jakar or Chamkhar at the foot of the Chokhor Valley is the most major trading spot of the region. It is highly possible that you will spend some days here as you visit the valleys around on a day trip basis. The shops here were all rebuilt after a big fire in 2010.
There is a strong wind from the south every afternoon which causes the evenings to be quite chilly.
Best Places to stay in Jakar
• Kaila Guesthouse
• Jakar Village Resort
• Yangkhil Resort
• Dewachen Hotel and Spa
• Chumey Nature Resort

Phuentsholing:

The town that sits right on the border between Bhutan and India is quiet, sweltering and is divided from India by a weakling fence. The city is a peaceful neighbor for anyone who visits the Indian town Jaigaon right opposite of it. It is noisy, congested and the air is thick. You may find an hour or two of interest here in the bazaars and all.
Coming from India though you will notice sudden changes in the improvement of the corporation and the maintenance of the place.
Best Places to stay in Phuentsholing
• Park Hotel Bhutan
• Hotel Druk
• Bhutan Residence
• Hotel Devi
• Hotel Sinchula

Trashigang:

One of the more interesting towns in Bhutan, Trashigang is a gateway to a lot of places like Trashi Yangtse, Khanling, Phongme and more. This town of beauty personified to the highest degree lies at the foot of a steep valley. The accommodation here is low, and most tourists barely reach Trashigang. But a lot of Canadian teachers used to work here, and therefore there are a lot of bars here to drink it.
Arra, a spirit made from distilled rice is traded and sampled here on the 1st, 10th and 15th of the Bhutanese month by the locals.
Best Places to stay in Trashigang
• Nyurlam Hotel
• Druk Deothjung
• Lengkhar Resort
• Rangjung TT Hotel
• Lepcha Hotel

Top Experiences in Bhutan

Takshang Goemba Trek

 

The Tiger’s Nest monastery is perched way above sea level on the side of a steep, fall down to your death cliff of 3,000 meters height. The beauty of the trek was not even immune to the British royal couple as they climbed up the cliff in over 3 hours. The view at the end is worth every drop of sweat dropped on the way. And the journey has its own charm.

Archery

Take a bow, Bhutan. This is the national sport on Bhutan. Locals to royals to animals everyone takes place in tonnes of archery competitions and such. Join the locals and experience this sort of precision to its core in Bhutan. You will not experience Bhutan until you pick up an arrow and target it towards a good time.

Spot the Bird

Every 11th of November, Bhutan comes together as one to spot and shower love upon the Black-necked cranes in the region. This festival is aimed at generating awareness about these beautiful but endangered birds and to strengthen the bond between the humans and the ecology and other systems. You will see a lot of folk dances and masks and other celebration in the name of this wondrous bird. Not an event to miss.

Tshechu

The Bhutanese have their biggest festival annually meaning the “Tenth Day” all across. It is their most significant event and is a big deal here. The entirety of Bhutan comes together to experience this festival full of color and joy. Every mask here has a different story. Every song sings of glory. A lot of these are based on Guru Padmasambhava. Bhutan gets really busy around this time, so bookings better be made in advance.

Dzong Hopping

Dzongs are half parts fortress, half monastery, and government building. These are buildings built on heights, cradling mountains and rivers between them. The insides of these buildings are painted very intricately with inspiring visuals like the wheel of life and the four truths about life. These are typically built for defense-related reasons.

Travel Smart

• Fly

There are two ways to get to Bhutan. You can fly till Paro and Phuentsholing. But if you are arriving from India coming via road looks like the most breath-taking option for you. While leaving you can go back from Samdrup, but entering from there is not possible.

• Time

Bhutan is in a time of its own. No, literally. They are at UTC+06:00. Which means India is 30 minutes behind Bhutan. Keep this in mind at all times. You definitely do not want to miss the flights and other bookings. Change your clock for the safest of options.

• No Smoking

Like every country and its rules, Bhutan takes their no smoking exceptionally seriously. There is a complete ban on smoking, and you cannot even attempt it in your hostel rooms and such. Any product hinting at tobacco is a big no. This entails not only a big fine but can also get you in jail. Beware.

• Pedestrian Day

This is a fascinating thing about Bhutan. They have a close affinity for their roads and keep every Tuesday as a no vehicle, Pedestrian Day. No private cars are allowed here. There are systems to call taxis on days like this though. But be sure to enjoy this beautiful country on foot too!

Countries that can be clubbed together

Nepal

Tibet

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